Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Marmalade Part 2

On with the next stage:
5. Prepare the jam jars by washing in hot soapy water and rinse then place in a warm oven 140 degrees centigrade for ten to fifteen minutes and keep warm unil needed. Sterilise the lids in a pan of boiling water . Also sterilise the ladle bowl in the hot water too and the jam funnel in the oven, taking care when removing it- as can burn (I found out the hard way!)

6.Then bring the pan of orange peel, sugar and orange liquid slowly up to a simmer making sure the sugar has dissolved before simmering. Add the thermometer if using and simmer away gently for sometime - it takes longer longer than you think.
Yesterday it was about 2 hours or so (the recipe books always say its a shorter time but I haven't found that in my experience . I did use a thermometer to help and when it reached about 104 degrees C I did check the setting point. This I did by putting a little on a pre-chilled saucer and when the marmalade wrinkled when pushed by my finger it was done.

7. Place the jam funnel over the neck of each of the jars in turn and fill using the ladle. Be careful not to get any on the jar neckar any residue can lead to mould developing during storage. Sometimes I use a jug to help fill the jars.

8.Seal the jars with the lids whilst still warm, to form a vacuum when they cool and then label and store in a cool place. Et voila your batch of marmalade is done!

Isla Mai

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About Me

I'm a mum and a wife a daughter etc but most of all I am me ! I have four older children (aged 16 and above- all still living at home!), a lovely husband, a ginger tom cat and sadly at the moment no chickens. I have recently given up my full time job to be around at home to support nurture and enjoy our family time together !! This blog helps me to focus on the more important things in life such as family . Also it will serve as a record of all the lovely creative things I get up to.